Round a quarter of the working population in Switzerland is affected by emotional exhaustion, the core characteristic of burnout. Another study proves the need for action to prevent burnout cases. Companies are watching the situation very closely: 51 % of managers believe it is likely that their employees may experience burnout this year. This is one of the findings of the latest labor market study by Robert Half, a specialized provider of talent solutions.

Pressure to deliver results, workload and lack of work-life balance

Managers suspect increasing pressure to achieve results (26 %) and high workloads (24 %) as the main reasons for burnout. In each case, 23 % see the lack of work-life balance and the difficulty of reconciling work in the home office with simultaneous childcare as the main reason for high stress. In addition, HR managers rate the lack of prospects in the company (22 %) as a decisive factor for exhaustion. Other triggers cited by managers include fear of dismissal, problems in communication between employees and the company or colleagues (21 % each), and the downsizing of teams and lack of recognition (20 % each).

"Burnout is not a purely personal problem of an individual employee. The causes usually lie at the individual and company level. Accordingly, it is also the responsibility of companies to fulfill their duty of care and actively take countermeasures," says Eva Mahoney, Associate Director at Robert Half. "Employees themselves should not ignore typical warning signs and should actively address and tackle problems to avoid getting into overload situations."

Support for parents and greater health offerings as a remedy for burnout cases

The particular problem of working parents has already been recognized by many of the companies surveyed by Robert Half. 43 % offer them more support and 41 % allow more flexible working hours. 34 % are increasingly providing wellness and health services for all employees. Regular exchanges (20 %) are also sought after. Nearly one in five companies (19 %) are turning to temporary staff and freelancers to better manage workloads and relieve permanent employees. Eva Mahoney: "The effectiveness of temporary staff and freelancers is still underestimated by many companies. They can be used to reduce the high workload on permanent staff. They provide flexible support in the event of bottlenecks and can thus make a significant contribution to burnout prevention."

Typical burnout indicators

There are some typical warning signs that can indicate burnout and that managers should look for in employees:

• Exhaustion, fatigue, inner emptiness
• Distance to the job, decreasing commitment, passive instead of active
• Poorer performance, tendency to work overtime

"Managers should be aware of the issue of burnout and know what warning signs to look out for. We also recommend putting the topic on the agenda in management committees," says Eva Mahoney. "Companies that take countermeasures in good time prevent long absences from work due to burnout and also benefit from lower employee turnover."

Source: Robert Half

CRM provider Salesforce has launched its new Global Digital Skills Index published. More than 23,500 professionals between the ages of 18 and 65 in 19 countries were surveyed for this study in November-December 2021. The study sheds light on digital literacy deficits that prove to be a challenge for many professionals but also for companies. This is because almost three-quarters of employees (73 %) do not feel they have the digital skills that companies need now and in the future. 76 percent therefore feel inadequately prepared for the digital future. Despite this, only 28 percent of them are actively participating in relevant learning and training programs to date. Accordingly, the study shows the growing Global capability gap in digital skills and the urgent need for action.

Emerging markets much more confident than industrialized nations

Respondents from emerging markets are generally more confident about their digital future than their counterparts from industrialized countries: India reaches the Global Digital Skills Index the highest value. Three quarters of respondents in India feel equipped for a digitally driven workplace today, and seven out of ten employees are actively learning new digital skills - the figures are four times higher than in Germany, for example. In addition to India, respondents from Brazil, Thailand and Mexico are also optimistic about a digital future. By contrast, respondents from Australia, South Korea and Japan are less confident.

Digital skills from everyday life do not help in the workplace

Everyday skills such as social media and web navigation are not the same as core digital skills in the workplace. The vast majority of respondents in North America (83 %), Europe (82 %) and Asia Pacific (70 %) say they have "advanced" or "intermediate" social media skills. At the same time, only about a third in each case (31 %, 24 % and 34 %, respectively) feel prepared for the digital demands their workplace will place on them in the next five years. These include tools for digital collaboration, data analysis, administration, e-commerce and project management.

The index also shows that younger professionals have more confidence and ambition to continue their education: over one-third of Generation Z respondents are actively learning and training for the skills they will need in the next five years. Among members of Generation X, only 12 percent plan to be active in this regard. "A large proportion of employees worldwide do not rate their digital skills as sufficient. In Switzerland, it is no different and there is immense pent-up demand. Support measures are now required at the political and corporate level," says Petra Jenner, Head of Switzerland at Salesforce.

Companies are called upon to combat digital literacy deficits

Bridging the digital divide is crucial for successful economic development. Far too often, employees are dissatisfied with the continuing education offerings in their companies or do not receive any offerings at all. The cooperation of companies with public agencies and educational institutions is central to this: This is the only way to create the right training and continuing education opportunities that reach all sectors of society equally, according to the study authors.

More information and source: Salesforce

The Corona pandemic has given online shopping a powerful boost: Online trade in Switzerland is expected to have grown to 15 billion francs in 2021, according to Handelsverband.swiss. In 2020, online shopping sales in Switzerland still amounted to CHF 13.1 billion, as surveyed at the time by the GfK market research institute. Digitec Galaxus alone increased its sales by 16 percent year-on-year to 2.1 billion francs in 2021.

"Strong demand for everyday goods".

Online shoppers have also changed significantly from the beginning of 2019 to the end of 2021. This is shown by the analysis of the online comparison portal Comparis in cooperation with the credit agency CRIF. Thus, the age structure was shaken by the pandemic: The proportion of 55- to 65-year-olds shopping online grew from 14.1 before the pandemic to 15.1 percent at the end of 2021, while the proportion of pensioners (aged 65 and over) buying over the Internet rose from 13.3 to 14.1 percent in the same period. Among younger people, only those aged 30 to 40 increased by 0.9 percentage points to 21.3 percent.

By contrast, the share of online shopping among young adults aged 20 to 24 fell relatively (-0.9 percentage points). In other words, the older generations have contributed disproportionately to market growth in the pandemic. The reason for this shift probably lies in the increased demand for everyday goods, as Michael Kuhn from Comparis explains. The online retailer Digitec Galaxus in particular has recorded the strongest sales growth in the supermarket, do it + garden, home, baby and toy sectors.

German-speaking Swiss and foreigners provided a boost

The strong growth in online shopping was largely driven by foreigners and people in German-speaking Switzerland. Accordingly, the share of the other language regions and of people with a Swiss passport fell overall. Before the pandemic, significantly fewer foreigners shopped online than their share of the total population (25 percent); namely, only 21 percent. In the second half of 2021, the share rose to 23 percent. Especially in the first lockdown (March 16 to April 26, 2020), the share of older people shopping online increased: 14.4 percent of the shoppers in this period fell on retired people, and that of the 55 to 65 age group was 14.9 percent, an increase of 0.6 percentage points compared to the second half of 2019.

The German-speaking population of Switzerland made strong gains: at the end of 2021, their share of all online purchases was around 79 percent - significantly higher than their share of the total population (74 percent).

Women responsible for boom in online shopping 

The proportion of women shopping online was already significantly higher than the proportion of men before the pandemic (55.1 percent versus 44.5 percent). In the online shopping boom during the first lockdown in spring, it climbed again to 56.1 percent. This means that women are significantly overrepresented among those placing orders, as the proportion of women in the total population is 50.4 percent, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

"Due to the closure of all non-essential stores, the fear of infection and generally due to the mobility restrictions, many goods of daily use, such as groceries, were bought on the Internet instead of in the store. This task has been taken over by women in the majority," says Comparis expert Michael Kuhn.

Second lockdown: foreigners with significant gain  

In the second lockdown (January 11 to March 1, 2021), older generations again drove online shopping growth. However, the effect was smaller than in the first lockdown. The share of over-65s and 55- to 60-year-olds increased again by 0.5 and 0.3 percentage points, respectively. The group of 20- to 24-year-olds lost a proportionate 0.2 percentage points.

The gain of foreigners in the online shopping market during the second lockdown was significantly more pronounced than during the first lockdown. Their share grew from 22 to 23 percent. The Swiss lost 1.1 percentage points accordingly, from 78 to 76.9 percent.

Retirees continue to have potential in online shopping

"As more and more older people and people with foreign passports store online, rifts are closing here between the breakdown in the population and shopping by mouse click," observes Kuhn. Because more and more of those over 65 shopped on screen compared to 2019, their share of 14.1 percent is already much closer to their potential of 18.8 percent share of the total population.

At the other end of the spectrum are the 40- to 55-year-olds. They were the most overrepresented in relation to the age pyramid in Switzerland at the end of 2021. They accounted for 28.7 percent of all online shoppers in the second half of 2021. Yet they account for only 21.4 percent of the population.

Source: Comparis

Classic structures are being replaced in companies by new work structures characterized by work-life blending, collaboration and remote work. Agile working methods in coworking spaces and factors such as meaningfulness, design options and work-life balance are replacing familiar structures and processes. Companies need to rethink their IT infrastructure, office concepts and leadership styles. Corporate culture is experiencing an enormous boost thanks to massively increased flexibility in terms of work content, time, place and form. The productivity of employees working in a healthy and meaningful work environment increases significantly, which ultimately benefits the company, the employees and society as a whole.

New Work is called upon to offer a sense of purpose instead of rules and regulations, which helps entire teams as well as individuals to move forward in an increasingly competitive environment. Courage, personal responsibility and creativity are the foundations that generate an attractive working environment. "Work and life are merging in the digital transformation, enabling employees to respond flexibly to private circumstances and to work in a self-determined manner. At the same time, this places greater demands on self-direction," emphasizes Dr. Sarah Genner, head of the CAS New Work HWZ program, which will start anew in September 2022. Generations Y and Z, who are also digital natives, make up the majority of employees in Switzerland today, with flat hierarchies, freedom and flexibility among their important qualities of life. The new world of work will have to adapt to these developments if it wants to remain successful internationally in the increasingly intense competition for the best specialists. The framework for action for companies and their employees is becoming agile, newly set and enables a vibrant work environment. "In addition to numerous practical examples, the CAS New Work HWZ offers a look behind the hip buzzwords of "Future of Work", points out useful trends and takes the wind out of the sails of hypes", says course director Sarah Genner.

Link to the study program: https://fh-hwz.ch/produkt/cas-new-work/

The Swiss financial center has experienced three turbulent years. In the new "Private Banking and Retail Banking Market Insight," auditing firm PwC Switzerland has examined the private and retail banks and provides assessments of profitability, business volumes, and income and cost drivers. The findings are based on the latest financial reports for 2018 to 2020.

The bigger the private bank, the more successful 

Despite a difficult market situation, large private banks were able to increase their business volume to an average of 271 billion Swiss francs in 2020 thanks to high net new money inflows. The operating RORE (return on required equity capital) of 38.1% is also significantly higher than that of small and medium-sized private banks. This is due to strong brand identities, international presence and differentiated service portfolios, the PwC study notes. According to the study, these developments would continue in the future and allow large private banks to flourish comparatively independently of events on the financial market. Smaller and medium-sized private banks, on the other hand, were unable to keep pace with the big banks, especially in the pandemic year 2020, and recorded a manageable net inflow of new money. In particular, mid-sized banks saw a steady deterioration in operating RORE to an average of 10.5% from 2018 to 2020 due to declining operating profit margins.

Retail banks continuously increase business volume 

In the retail sector, this discrepancy, which can be observed at private banks, is hardly noticeable. Operating RORE remained relatively unchanged over the observed years in all three size categories. Nevertheless, the retail banks were able to continuously increase their business volume with low volatility to an average of 148 billion Swiss francs (large retail banks), 31 billion Swiss francs (medium-sized institutions) and 4.5 billion Swiss francs (small retail banks). In addition to strong market positioning, the lower AuM share in retail banking and thus less dependence on the global financial market also played a role here. The share of assets under management is the primary growth driver, especially for the large and medium-sized banks with an AuM share of 50-60%. Smaller retail banks are more dependent on mortgage lending and generated their volume growth mainly through this. "In the coming years, these trends will continue," says Martin Schilling, Director Deals Financial Services - Asset & Wealth Management at PwC Switzerland. "However, large retail banks will pass the smaller banks in the long run, as they can further increase business volumes thanks to a broader range of services and a wider reach."

High operating profit margin of little use to small banks

In both the private and retail banking segments, the large banks have a lower operating profit margin due to the higher proportion of business customers. Over the period under review, it fluctuated accordingly between 57 and 62 basis points (private banks) and 68 and 75 (retail banks) in relation to business volume. However, small private and retail banks can derive little benefit from the higher margins, as they have the highest personnel costs in relation to business volume. In addition, due to their business model, small retail banks have to provide a higher relative share of capital adequacy than larger institutions, which further reduces operating RORE. However, the study also shows that staff costs have remained constant in the retail sector over the period under review - an indicator of a stable and profitable business environment.

Private banks struggle with higher cost-income ratio 

Over the past three years, the cost-income ratio (CIR) of private banks has been significantly higher than that of retail banks in all magnitudes. Medium-sized private banks even showed a continuous deterioration in CIR from an average of 79% to 86%. Swiss offshoots of major European banks were hit particularly hard, with their operating profit margins halving from 2018 to 2020. In contrast, small and medium-sized retail banks performed above average with clearly lower CIRs of 51% and 53%, respectively, and demonstrated high efficiency.

Source: PwC

The "Best Retail Cases Switzerland" initiative is behind the Best Retail Cases Swiss Award, which will be presented for the first time on February 4, 2022. It was launched in late summer 2021 as an interface between solutions, providers and customers. "Due to increasing digitalization, retail is undergoing rapid change. With Best Retail Cases Switzerland, we want to show these changes in concrete terms. In doing so, innovative omnichannel models, smart technologies, creative design and networked systems are to be given their own showcase, so to speak," explains main initiator Ewa Ming. "Best Retail Cases Switzerland is a showcase platform for innovative solutions and a source of inspiration for new approaches in retail. We want to give retail and e-commerce a face with it," she explains further. The platform sees itself as a year-round contact point for events and networking in the field of e-commerce and omnichannel. Thematic webinars will present trends and the best cases starting in March 2022. The aim is to impart knowledge and present innovative applications for retail using concrete examples.

Winner of the "E-Commerce" category

Eleven projects were submitted for the first Best Retail Cases Swiss Award, four in the e-commerce category and seven in the omnichannel category. A jury and user voting selected the first winners on February 4, 2022. In the e-commerce category, InnoFind won the user vote with its solution for a fully automated search function that works according to visual taste at the poster store trenddeko.ch. The jury in turn awarded first prize to the interactive InMail store of the wine store Paul Ullrich AG with mailix by Mayoris as implementation partner. In the eyes of the jury, this case rethinks newsletter marketing by allowing customers to place an order directly from the e-mail without having to go through a web store.

Also two winners in the "Omnichannel" category

In the omnichannel category, the case of the KLARA expert portal, implemented by Okomo, met with the greatest approval among users. Here, the online world and physical consulting are combined, with trustees or even representatives of small IT companies acting as experts. Zumtobel Licht AG took first place in the jury's evaluation with its case at E.Leclerc LANGON: an indoor navigation system was installed there via the lighting infrastructure. This intelligent lighting solution makes it easier to locate customers, who can be alerted to promotions in the store via a customized shopping app. In the eyes of the jury, this is an interesting added value that is given to the actually "trivial" topic of lighting.

Digital and analog are merging more and more

The first Best Retail Cases Swiss Award took place in the form of a virtual event. The projects submitted show how the analog and digital worlds in retailing are not mutually exclusive, but can successfully complement each other. The evaluation by around 1700 user votes also indicates a remarkable response to the platform, which was achieved after just a few months. It is certainly also worth mentioning that all the cases presented are backed by classic SMEs. This shows that innovative and smart solutions can also make small things look big.

Best Retail Cases Swiss Award: The ranking list

E-commerce" category, user voting:

1. trenddeko.ch: search 25,000 posters live and fully automatically according to visual taste (with InnoFind)
2. Bergfreunde: MS Direct One-stop-shop for Crossborder Logistics (with MS Direct AG)
3. QR Module (with KMU Digitalisierung GmbH)

Ecommerce" category, jury assessment:

1. Paul Ullrich AG: Interactive InMail Shop in E-Commerce (with mailix by Mayoris)
2. trenddeko.ch: search 25,000 posters live and fully automatically according to visual taste (with InnoFind)
3. Bergfreunde: MS Direct One-stop-shop for Crossborder Logistics (with MS Direct AG)

Omnichannel" category, user voting:

1. KLARA Expert Portal: Serving Customers Digitally and Still Personally (with OKOMO)
2. Scount - Data Driven Marketing Platform Thanks to Artificial Intelligence and Gamification
3. MOUNTAIN AIR: The latest ERP solution from Microsoft including LS Retail POS (with Navtech Suisse SA)

Omnichannel" category, jury assessment:

1. E.Leclerc LANGON: Digital Service Lighting Infrastructure (with Zumtobel Licht AG)
2. MOUNTAIN AIR: The latest ERP solution from Microsoft including LS Retail POS (with Navtech Suisse SA)
3. Scount - Data Driven Marketing Platform Thanks to Artificial Intelligence and Gamification

The next Best Retail Cases Swiss Award will take place on November 29, 2022. All cases can be viewed at https://bestretailcases.com/

Schütz Service AG is a family business founded in 1979 with 26 employees. With the promise "We'll handle it.", the company has successfully built up a loyal and long-standing customer base from Bern. The focus of the company's activities is building and industrial automation.

Philipp Schütz has led the company as Managing Director until now, but now steps into the second rank: With Erich Hausammann, a Managing Director could be found who brings many years of experience in the development and management of SMEs and who wants to further develop the company with his willingness to perform and motivation. "We are proud and very happy to have a competent managing director in Erich, who will help us to continue to master the operational tasks professionally, efficiently and effectively," says Philipp Schütz on the handover of the baton. "I myself will focus my time on strategic development so that we can serve our customers even better in the future." Erich Hausammann is looking forward to his new task: "I am enthusiastic about the pragmatic and effective way of working at Schütz Service AG, the team and the culture of doing things are lived here and we are there for our customers - that pleases me and excites me."

The owners of Schütz Service AG, Philipp Schütz and his sister Denise Jacob-Schütz, would like to develop the company from a family business to a family-owned company with this step of choosing the managing director Erich Hausammann. From their point of view, in addition to operational capacity, the company now also increasingly needs the ability to tackle strategic projects that are otherwise left unaddressed for too long in day-to-day operations. Philipp Schütz now wants to take this strategic task into his own hands and thus move the company forward. "The future," Philipp Schütz is convinced, "also requires greater automation in our own operations and the right processes and investments in technologies. In addition, an extension for growth and jobs is also on the agenda - against the backdrop of the operational burden, these important topics otherwise come up short."

Source and further information

People who want to re-enter the job market after an extended absence often find it difficult to find a job. "A gap in the resume is still perceived as a major obstacle when looking for a job," knows Evelin Bermudez, returnship expert at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The research team, consisting of Evelin Bermudez, Dr. Anina Hille, Prof. Dr. Gabrielle Wanzenried and Prof. Dr. Yvonne Seiler Zimmermann, has investigated which challenges are particularly great for those re-entering the workforce and how their chances for rapid re-entry could be improved.

Flexibility in time and place as a need

If the researchers have their way, there is great potential in the employment of returnees to counteract the impending shortage of skilled workers. "But the existing potential is far from being exploited," says Evelin Bermudez. Many of the so-called "returners" find it difficult to find a suitable re-entry position after their long break. According to the survey, returners have a particularly strong desire to work part-time and flexibly in terms of location. Most of them would like to be able to work at least partially in a home office. Thus, 38 percent of the respondents who are looking for a job again after a longer break stated that they would like to work between 60 and 80 percent. Around 35 percent of them are looking for an even smaller workload. So overall, 73 percent of those returning to work want to return to the workforce as part-time employees. "Many companies in Switzerland are not yet ready when it comes to part-time positions and flexible work models," says Bermudez. The HSLU expert adds, "During the Corona crisis, however, awareness of flexible working has increased. This development suits those re-entering the workforce."

Well trained and motivated for re-entry

According to the research team, companies could benefit from relying more on returnees. Returnees" are often characterized by a high degree of flexibility. Around 60 percent of respondents who want to return to work after a longer break are willing to attend an important meeting outside of agreed working hours. "Returnees are also often well educated, motivated and bring many years of professional experience from before the break," says Prof. Dr. Gabrielle Wanzenried, diversity expert at the Haute Ecole d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud HES-SO.

Women particularly affected

The most common reason for a career break is childcare, as the survey shows. Other reasons cited in the survey include moving or caring for elderly family members. Women are particularly likely to take a longer career break. Interestingly, a partner's work activity doesn't seem to influence whether someone takes a break for child care, for example. "That surprised us. We assumed that people who have an earning partner would tend to take a longer break," says Wanzenried.

Source: Lucerne University

Association Companies & Returnships Network

The non-profit association Companies & Returnships Network has set itself the goal of sustainably disseminating programs for professional re-entry - so-called "returnships" or "supported employment" - in Switzerland. To this end, CRN shows companies and organizations the added value of return-to-work programs and supports them in the introduction, implementation and evaluation of these programs. The association was founded by four researchers from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts: Evelin Bermudez, Dr. Anina Hille, Prof. Dr. Gabrielle Wanzenried and Prof. Dr. Yvonne Seiler Zimmermann.

Further information is available at www.crn-verein.ch.

In Switzerland, up to 3.5 million masks are used every day. As a result of the pandemic, protective masks have also found their way into the everyday life of customer consultants - sooner or later, perhaps even soon, the obligation to wear them will be dropped. Irrespective of this: because colors are known to be psychologically very influential, consultants from a wide range of industries are now considering not only which shirt or blouse color they should wear - but also which mask color.

What makes an optimal consultation

The question of which mask color is best for the consultation must be answered in connection with another core question: What constitutes optimal consulting in the first place? Scientific studies have already shown in the past that trust is the key factor for an optimal relationship between advisor and customer. This trust, in turn, is based on the two consultant characteristics "sympathy" and "competence. In psychological experiments, sympathy turned out to be the more important factor. Customers trust a sympathetic advisor more than a competent one. The best-case scenario is, of course, achieved when a consultant appears likeable and competent at the same time (cf. Competence-Likability-Model by Tiziana Casciaro and Miguel Sousa Lobo). The optimal mask color should therefore pay attention to both characteristics and make the consultant both more likeable and more competent.

The neuromarketing consultancy Zutt & Partner has studied the emotional impact of different mask colors in an EmoCompass®-study and compared with the two characteristics "sympathy" and "competence". The emotional effect of the different mask colors was elicited completely non-verbally and monadically, i.e. not by simply assigning the colors to the two poles. This methodology allows the exploration of the emotions on a deep individual association level and practically under exclusion of cognition. The result shows which protective masks customer advisors should wear - and which they should better steer clear of.

It is not because of the mask color

The study results make it clear that sympathy and competence are emotionally two very different worlds. They are clearly distinct from one another and form two opposite poles. The mask colors can be placed between these two poles. The closer a mask is to one of the two poles, the more similar the emotional effect.

What is probably not entirely surprising is that masks - regardless of their color - always make customer advisors at least a little less likeable. Covering half the face and thus also a friendly smile has been proven to reduce a person's likability.

From a marketing perspective, however, masks also have an advantage. For example, the masked consultant automatically appears more competent - regardless of the color of the mask. One reason for this could be the association with medicine. Thus, the customer's brain associates masks with competent doctors and surgeons. In addition, the customer is not distracted, or is less distracted, by facial expressions, sympathy and antipathy, so that the focus is again more on the content of the conversation and thus on the consulting competence.

The best mask colors for the best consultation

For optimal customer consulting, those masks stand out that are emotionally as close as possible to sympathy and competence in the customer's brain. Since sympathy is the more important factor for successful consulting, the following masks are important. white and light blue masks the best choice. Although people without masks still look more sympathetic, white and light blue masks lose less sympathy than other mask colors.

The second best choice form dark blue and black masksbecause these increase the emotional competence effect of the consultant. A certain mask color comes to lie in the middle of the emotional map and thus triggers both sympathy and competence: Pink. But the emotional effect is too weak in this case. The consultant appears neither much more likeable nor more competent with a pink mask.

Clearly to be avoided are yellow, green and orange masks. Because these pull emotionally too strongly away from sympathy and competence. But since these two factors are decisive, the selected mask should at least pay attention to one of the two factors.

Conclusion of the study

The color choice of the protective mask has an influence on the consulting experience. The right mask can arouse emotions of sympathy and competence in the customer's brain and thus significantly influence the success of the consultation. In case of doubt, the sympathy factor should be given priority. Therefore, based on studies, the light blue and white masks are the best options for consultants.

But the perfect mask would be a combination of both worlds. Competence was mainly triggered by the darker masks, namely the dark blue and the black. Thus, the perfect mask would be a light blue or white with dark elements.

Source and further information: Zutt & Partner

Smart technologies, changing customer behavior and new sales concepts require retailers to be highly flexible in order to keep pace with dynamic developments. That is why Ewa Ming and her team have set up the "Best Retail Cases Switzerland" platform. For Ewa Ming, it is a declared goal to use this platform to provide an opportunity for information exchange and networking: "Best Retail Cases Switzerland is a showcase platform for innovative solutions and a source of inspiration for new approaches in retail. We want to use it to give retail and e-commerce a face."

"Best Retail Cases Switzerland" Award as an inspiration for innovation

Now, with the award, the platform can report a first highlight. "All the submitted cases in the areas of e-commerce and omnichannel demonstrate a high level of innovation," says jury member and topsoft editor-in-chief Christian Bühlmann. "It was not easy for us as a jury to choose the best of the nominated cases. The proposals show how modern technologies can already be implemented concretely today. The award is not simply a marketing or sales platform, but a source of inspiration for innovation in retail," Christian Bühlmann continues.

Friday, February 4, 2022 is the date

The event begins next Friday at 9 a.m. The first three winners of the user voting and the expert jury evaluation in the e-commerce and omnichannel categories will be selected. The award will be broadcast live by Digicomp in Zurich and will last approximately one hour. Due to Covid-19, the award ceremony will take place as an online event this time.

Here you can register free of charge: https://bit.ly/3fNezUN.

The preservation of historical monuments in Basel-Stadt observes with concern that historically valuable windows are creeping away. Carefully crafted windows are sometimes even replaced by plastic windows; characteristic muntins are simply left out. As a result, the appearance suffers - both from the outside and the inside. "The houses are literally having their eyes gouged out," reads a summary in the 2015 annual report of the cantonal monument preservation office of Basel-Stadt. The central question: Can the preservation of historically valuable building fabric be combined with energy efficiency and living comfort? The answer is "yes." There are various ways to upgrade windows. For this reason, the preservation authority recommends that modernization of the windows be examined in every case before the contemporary witnesses are thoughtlessly replaced. If replacement is unavoidable, the new windows should have a high-quality design and be well integrated into the building.

Meticulous craftsmanship

The window as a component must meet many technical requirements: It connects the inside with the outside and provides natural lighting. It serves for controlled air exchange, security, sound and heat insulation.

The original substance, layout, proportion and construction make the windows contemporary witnesses that shape the feeling of space in a building. Because often historical, but also modern windows, have a unique charm, which is often lost in a replacement. That it can be done differently is shown by the window construction company Quadra Ligna from Basel, which has developed a renovation system for windows. "Our process has been constantly developed and improved over more than 40 years," says managing director Stephan Hasler. The outside of the windows is doubled up with a custom-made profile made of weather-resistant Swiss oak and then glazed or painted. "Even warped or crooked frames are no obstacles, as the doubling is customized for each window," Hasler explains. The glass is replaced with double or triple insulating glazing designed for optimal thermal insulation and, if necessary, special soundproofing and safety requirements. If special renovation glass is used, the distinctive surface of the original glazing is also retained. Thanks to a circumferential seal on the weather side, the window is wind and driving rain proof. The joint between the new doubling frame and the historic component provides downward ventilation so that any moisture can escape.

Save energy and improve the feeling of living

This method achieves a compromise: the historic building fabric is preserved and today's requirements are met. Hasler explains: "Energy consumption is reduced and comfort is increased because drafts no longer enter the building and radiation asymmetries, i.e. temperature differences between windows and interior walls, are minimized. The energy-saving potential is considerable: If an old simple window glass has a heat transfer coefficient (Ug) of around 5 W/(m²K) before renovation, this is around 1 W/(m²K) after renovation thanks to the second layer of glass and special coatings.

If renovated instead of replaced, the proportion of glass is greater with the same glass structure, because modern frames are usually wider than the originals. The connection details inside are preserved, which is of interior architectural relevance, especially in the case of artistically designed reveals. Front windows - especially retrofitted ones - which distort the architectural image, are not very user-friendly and reduce the incidence of light, become superfluous.

Quality pays off

The buildings of architect Ernst Zimmer and his brothers show that it pays to renovate windows. After taking over their parents' house in Basel's Gundeli district in the 1970s, they gently renovated it. In order to preserve the fabric of the building, he decided against replacing the windows on the front and had them doubled up by Quadra Ligna's predecessor company as early as 1987. When the windows on the rear building were getting on in years, it was clear to him, "Since the windows on the front building are still perfect more than 30 years after the renovation, we wanted to renovate this way again."

Even if the procedure seems costly - considering that some neighbors have renewed the windows twice in the same period, this type of renovation also saves money in the long term.

For 20 years now, KMU Swiss has been a platform for entrepreneurs and managers. The idea is to keep them fit for the future in a network and at events. This is achieved through preferential access to around 50 events such as symposia, regular meetings, inside meetings, the GolfTrophy and a digital recommendation and presentation platform. The KMU Swiss Symposia, with up to 500 participants each year, have become one of the most important business events in Switzerland.

300 to 400 participants expected

At the KMU Swiss Symposium 2022, successful personalities from various sectors and industries will once again speak about their experiences in a practical and timely manner. They will shed light on and discuss the conference topic from various perspectives on keywords such as industry, trade, insurance, production, law and innovation. The KMU Swiss Symposium 2022 will take place on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at TRAFO in Baden. This year's event will address perceptions and realities in business, society and politics. Various economies are slowly but surely outstripping us and Europe because they are more willing and faster: Is this so? 300-400 participants are expected at the symposium. Among them are various guests of honor and personalities from business and politics. "In addition to the informal atmosphere, participants appreciate the practical relevance of the presentations," says Armin Baumann, initiator of KMU Swiss.

Switzerland: A Care Case...

This year's conference theme may be somewhat provocative: Are we in Switzerland doing as well as we think? What is the dependency of economic factors and do structural changes influence the growth of the economy? A crisis reveals weak points, and these should be countered. They require far-sighted and timely decisions. Unfortunately, the situation is still one of reacting instead of acting. Self-responsibility is a must, not egoism and narcissism, nor lethargic behavior. Political mills work slower than economic ones and partly against each other, which prevents a fast positive development.

Federal Councillor Viola Amherd at the KMU Swiss Symposium 2022

The conference topic is likely to provide food for discussion. The following entrepreneurial personalities are also expected to provide further lasting impressions:

• Federal Councillor Viola Amherd
• Claudia Thali, Neuroscientist
• Nina Suma, CEO FORTYSEVEN
• Prof. Dr. Aymo Brunetti, University of Bern
• Josef Zopp, Head of Studies at Weibel Hess & Partner AG
• Thomas Boyer, CEO Groupe Mutuel
• Guido Konrad, Managing Director Varian Medical Imaging Labs
• Ernst Gisin, CEO Stahlton Bauteile AG

The conference will be moderated by Dr. Hugo Bigi, who has also successfully guided through previous symposia.

For more information on the speakers and ticket ordering options, please visit www.kmuswiss.ch/symposium.